Hey yo! Saturday Night Live!

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Source: Metro Beauty Supply

Or the saga of the incorrect order

Listen up! This post takes concentration!

One of my favorite stores was offering a sale on hair color. It was an on-line thing. They don’t carry the brand in the store. They were selling a two-pack for half the price of a single. Incredible deal. I bought the limit which was four 2-packs. I received two that were correct, one that was the wrong color (why would someone think dark brown was a good substitute for dark blonde?) and it was one two-pack short. This was in the complicated territory.

My first try to correct it was to go to the local store. That proved futile. It was too complicated. They wanted me to call the customer service number. They wouldn’t let me return the incorrect color which would mean I’d have to send it back. Ack!

First call was to a person with a slight accent but I could understand her. She was having difficulty getting the gist of a two-pack because they always sell them in singles. She said she would send me a replacement for the incorrect color and the missing one. I received a confirmation that said I was getting two items. Technically that is correct as each two-pack was a single item yet my gut was suspicious. She also said to return the wrong one and she would send a prepaid mailing label. She didn’t. (Are you still with me?)

Within a week I received two boxes of the hair color (not two two-packs). Gah! I called again. I got a guy with a stronger accent. He also had a lot of difficulty understanding the concept of a two box set. They don’t normally sell it like that. (Yeah, yeah I know!) He wanted to break it down so he looked the product up and said it consisted of three tubes. How many tubes did I get?

This totally baffled me because it’s two tubes and a bottle. Going by individual items made it more confusing.

Technically I ordered 24 individual parts (or 8 boxes or 4 2-packs) but received 12 correct parts, was missing six and six were in boxes with the wrong color. In the wrong color boxes, only the color tube was wrong but it only came by the box. Did you follow that? Do you need another coffee? I sure do.

I tried to steer him back to “box.” It was hard. He was hooked on parts. He would be great in an auto parts place where there are lots of parts. Itty bitty individual parts. Maybe hardware with nuts and bolts and screws.

After much back and forth and eye rolling (on my part as it was clear this guy did not understand hair color), he promised to send out two more boxes (or a two-pack). Delivery is scheduled for today. Will it be right? We’ll see.

This is the second time I’ve gotten the wrong items when ordering hair color. I imagine a warehouse full of beauty products staffed by a bunch of guys with bizarre hairdos and no clue. No more blonde, throw in a brown. The customer won’t notice.

On a positive note, there was no queue and both customer service reps were pleasant and eager to please. Both of them required a discussion with their “supervisor.” (Do they really do that or is it a ruse to get another cup of coffee?”

It’s ironic that a two-pack cost $6 plus some change. For $12, I lost several hours of my time that I will never get back. It was the principle!

Saturday Night Live could make a skit. Anyone who colors their own hair would get it. During the skit the customer’s gray hair would be growing and by the end she would be more than half gray! Maybe all gray. Maybe all gray and wrinkled.

The store sent me three follow-up feedback requests. I finally responded after the last call and said my experience was a storyline for a skit. Haven’t heard back yet.

67 thoughts on “Hey yo! Saturday Night Live!”

  2. Oh I do hope you hear back! What a wonderful story to read, not so great to live through of course. “No more blonde, throw in a brown. The customer won’t notice.” Wonderful line and so true, sadly. I have missed your humor so much, btw.

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  4. I liked your last sentence the best and customer service is a real trip sometimes – in the long run, you, like me, wanted to wash yourself of the whole deal and look how time it took that you’ll never get back. Silly people.

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  6. Ah, the business of coloring one’s hair. I was born with beautiful auburn hair that somehow didn’t last into my 50’s so being a member of Corporate America I started getting it colored. Back several years now, I just decided it wasn’t for me anymore. Did anyone really think someone my age had natural auburn hair? Not really. So, I went gray, and I love it. I am what I am – a senior woman who appreciates the color gray and it’s lack of upkeep. 🙂 Hope you got your shipment and it made things right.

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    • I don’t really have a lot of gray hair, just some salt around the edges. My natural color is a dark blond or sandy color the gray tone is very drab and not attractive. I have friends who have gone completely gray and sport white hair and it looks lovely but that’s not how I would look. Yes, I am vain but that’s not going to change. My niece was blessed with medium strawberry blonde hair and she commented a few years ago that she didn’t have much gray, just enough to color. (She’s close to my age.)

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  15. Welcome to my world when it comes to online ordering. When I see a product that I want, the very first thing I do is verify that it is made and shipped in the USA. Too many purchases that weren’t what I ordered and companies that close their doors within two weeks of my placing my order. I do like your idea for a skit, so if you manage to get Saturday night live to do it, let me know when it will be so I can be sure to watch.

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    • I got burned once. It was a sweatshirt website and I wanted one for a friend’s celebration. I ordered two months in advance. It didn’t come in time nor did they respond on when it would come. They took the money immediately but I got the item 3 months later. Now I only order from companies I recognize.

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  18. Interactions like those are soooo frustrating. Yet they will undoubtedly become more common as more items are online only.

    I wait all year for apple cider vinegar potato chips, which are seasonal (Kettle only makes them for a few months in the fall). Kettle’s website keep telling me the chips are in my local stores. They are not in my local stores. I finally gave up and ordered them online, except I had to spend a $35.00 minimum for them to deliver. But the online retailer capped my purchase at 10 bags of chips. Which costs $33.90.

    Because of course.

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  19. Customer Service just “ain’t what it used to be” if you ask me. No offense meant but if I get someone who I can understand without straining I’m happy – I’ve even had a customer service person try to keep his dog from barking while he was talking to me…..and talked to the dog the whole time trying to keep him quiet. Huh? Your story is typical – and I think your descriptions of the people who often do these kinds of jobs are spot on. Scary isn’t it. Let us know what you actually get will ya? I’m hooked!

    Hugs, Pam

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  21. I don’t use hair color… yet. But this has convinced me to not start to color my hair. I am sorry I laughed at your frustration, Kate. But dang it is funny… the post not your frustration. It is good that you have a good sense of funny. I loved your bold words in parenthesis that checked if we were still with you and your effort to keep us in the loop. The “principal” of things is important to some of us!

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  26. LOL! HILARIOUS but true. My experience does not even come close to your confusing Sat.Nite Live skit. But I just ordered 2 pair of “straight” leg pants online.
    Immediately got a note saying my “slim” leg pants are on back order and did I want to cancel or wait until they are in stock?
    Am I waiting for straight legs or slim legs? I don’t wear slim legs.and even though they now predict delivery by Oct. 30 will it be months of constant backorder notices
    Your experience makes me want to cancel but I really need the wardrobe addition.
    Oh and to complicate things further I used a coupon code for a discount but it was not accepted.

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